Understructure for a desk top, study top, table or similar member



Sept. 6, 1960 c. o. FIELDS 2,951,733

UNDERSTRUCTURE FOR A nssx TOP, STUDY TOP, TABLE OR SIMILAR MEMBER Filed Nov. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-$heet 1 w H 1| ,v'

INVENTOR.

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BY MQZ/Qh Sept. 6, 1960 c. o. FIELDS 2,951,733

UNDERSTRUCTURE FOR A DESK TOP, STUDY TOP, TABLE OR SIMILAR MEMBER Filed Nov. '28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

CZ6567ZZ 0 [26% 7 te t Patented Sept. 6, 1960 UNDERSTRUCTURE FGR A DESK TOP, STUDY TOP, TABLE OR SIMILAR MEMBER Clesent 0. Fields, New Castle, Ind., assignor to Peabody Seating Company, Inc., North Manchester, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Nov. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 777,066

7 Claims. (Cl. 311-110) The present invention relates to desks and the like and has to do more particularly with the understructure thereof.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved understructure which is of strong and rigid construction, which will stably support the desk top or other member, and which can be easily adjusted to different elevations.

Other more specific objects and advantages of the in vention will be evident to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the new understructure.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is presented herein for the purpose of exemplification but it will of course be understood that the invention is capable of being embodied in other forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a desk equipped with the understructure of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the desk;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the understructure, with the desk top removed;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the understructure, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an inner face view of one of the leg attaching brackets, with its associated leg structure removed;

Fig. 7 is a confronting face view of one of the leg structures, separated from its associated bracket;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section, taken on the line 8- of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 4, showing the leg structure in full lines clamped to its associated bracket in an intermediate position, and also showing it in dotted lines in both raised and lowered positions.

The new understructure includes a tube 10 which extends horizontally substantially the full width of the desk top 11 or other member. The tube 10 is provided adjacent the sides of the desk top with horizontally bent generally parallel end portions 12. The ends 12 extend .into the upper portions of hollow vertically disposed brackets 13 where they are rigidly secured, preferably by being welded at 14. The brackets 13 are provided with generally flat and preferably downwardly eonverging outer and inner walls 15 and 16, with the inner walls 16 arranged vertically. The inner walls 16 are equipped at their upper edges with inwardly projecting flanges 17 to which the undersurface of the desk top 11 is secured. If the desk top is of metal, welding is preferably employed, whereas if of wood or similar material, screws are used. The brackets 13 are closed at their sides and bottoms by relatively narrow side walls 18 and relatively narrow bottom walls 19.

The intermediate portion 20 of the tube 10, between the brackets 13, is preferably bent inwardly at an angle, in the form of a shallow V, in the same plane and in the same direction as the end portions 12 of the tube.

The vertical inner walls 16 of the brackets 13' are pro-- vided adjacent their side edges with vertically arranged series of slots 21, and are also provided intermediate their side edges with a vertically arranged seriesof holes 22. At the locations of the holes 22 the inner walls 16 of the brackets have secured to the backs thereof vertical reinforcing strips 23, which strips are provided with tapped. holes 24 in register with the holes 22.

The desk or other member is provided adjacent its corners with tubular front legs 25 and tubular rear legs; 26, and the front leg 25 at each end of the desk is rigidly connected in the form of an inverted U with the rear leg 26 at the same end. These U-shaped leg structures 27 are detachably connected with the brackets 13 by being provided at substantially the centers of their horizontally extending cross-portions 28 with horizontally directed U-shaped fittings 29. The fittings 29 embrace and are Welded to the cross-portions 28 of the leg structures and are provided at their edges with small horizontally projecting tongues 30. The fittings 29 are also provided with apertures 31 for the reception of cap screws 32.

The U-shaped leg structures 27 are positioned against the inner walls 16 of the brackets 13 in any one of the several vertical positions of adjustment shown in Fig. 9, with the tongues 30 in interfitting engagement top and. bottom with certain of the slots 21, after which the cap screws 32 are passed through the backs of the fittings 29 into screw threaded engagement with the holes 24 in the: reinforcing strips 23 behind the inner walls 16 and drawn up tight, thereby rigidly securing the leg structures to the brackets.

When the understructure is used in conjunction with a desk top the angle of rearward inclination of the rear legs 26 is preferably greater than the angle of forward inclination of the front legs 25, as shown, but it will of course be appreciated that the angle of inclination of both the front and rear legs may be the same.

The front and rear legs are preferably structurally separate members, as shown, in which event they are rigidly connected to each other and to the fittings 29 which bridge the ends of the same, preferably by welding, but if desired the front and rear legs in each of the leg structures 27 may be made integral as one continuous member.

When the desk or other member is of non-metallic construction and the brackets 13 are of necessity screwed or riveted to the underside of the desk top, as distinguished from being welded to the same, the horizontally extending end portions 12 of the tube 1% may advantageously be extended through and beyond the upper portions of the brackets 13 for a short distance, whereby to provide for additional and more widespread points of support and attachment.

I claim.

1. In an understructure for a desk or similar member, a frame which is positioned against the underside of the member and is provided adjacent the ends of the member with horizontally extending generally parallel end portions, two brackets which are connected adjacent their upper ends with the end portions of the frame and with the underside of the member, front and rear legs adjacent the front and rear corners of the member, the front leg adjacent each end of the member being connected at its upper end by a horizontal cross-portion with the upper end of the rear leg at the same end of the member to provide adjacent each end of the member a two-leg struc ture of inverted U-shape form, said horizontal cross portions of the leg structures being disposed in inwardly offset relation to the end portions of the frame, and said brackets extending downwardly below the end portions of the frame, and means for rigidly connecting the cross-portions of the leg structures with the inner walls of the; brackets.

2. In an understructure for a desk or similar member, :a tube which is positioned flatwise against the underside (of the member and is provided adjacent the ends of the :member with horizontally. extending generally, parallel end ortions, 'twojdawnward y extend ng hol w. brac ets, in the upper portions of whieh. the end portions, of the, tube :are housedandsecured, said brackets being eonnected; at their upper ends with. the underside of the. member, tubular front and. rear legs adjacent the front and rear corners of the. member, the. front legv adjacent each, end :of the member being CO lI QCIed; at its. upper end by a lhorizontal crossrportionwith, the, upper end or the. rear Bleg at the same. end of thefmernber. to provide. adjaeent each end of the member a. tubular tworleg. structure of inverted U .-shape form, and means for rigidly connecting the cross-portions ofsaid leg, structures with the brackets.

In an understrueture for a desk or similar member, ftwo. downwardly extending hollow brackets which. are connected at. their upper ends with the. underside/of the member adjacent opposite ends of the latter, tubular front and rear legs adjacent the front and rear corners of the member, the front leg adjacent each. end of the member. being, connected at its upper end by a horizontal crossjportion with the upper end of the rear leg at the same end of'the member. to provide adjacent each end oh the member. a. tubular two-leg. structure of inverted. U-shape rm ,the inner walls. of the hollow brackets being sub,- stanfia-lly vertical and being. provided, with slots and rapped holes, and the cross-portions of the tubular two: leg structures beingi secured to fittings, which, are provided with, horizontally projecting, tongues and horizontally or ending apertures, said tongueson the fittingsinterlocking. withinthe. slots in. the inner walls, of the brackets, and screws extending through the apertures in the fittings into the. tapped, holes in, the. inner walls of the brackets for clamping theleg structures to, the. brackets.

4. Inan. understructure for a desk or similar member, two, downwardly extending hollow brackets which. are connected at their upper ends with the. underside of the member adjacent oppositeends of the latter, tubular front and rear legs adjacent. the frontand. rear corners of the member, the, front legv adjacent each end of the member being connected at its, upper end by a horizontal cross? portion with the upper end. or the rear leg at the same end of the member to provide adjacent each end of the: member a tubular two-leg structure of inverted U-shapeform, the inner walls. of the hollo w. brackets, being sub stantially vertical and being. provided with. slots and. tapped holes, and. the cross-portions of; the tubular twoleg structures being secured to fittings which areprov-ided with horizontally projecting tongues and horizontally extending apertures, said tongues on.v the fittingsinterlock ing within the slots in the inner. walls of thebrackets, and. screws extending through the, apertures in the fittings into. the tapped holes in the inner walls of the brackets for clamping the leg structures to the brackets, the. inner walls of the brackets being provided with two or more sets of slots and tapped apertures for. enabling the leg. structures to. be clamped to the brackets; in different, vertically adjusted positions. I

5 In antunderstructure for a desk or similar member, a, tube which is. positioned fiatwise. against the underside;

in the upper portions of which. the end portions of the tube are housed and secured, said brackets being connected at their upper ends with the. underside of the member,

tubular front and rearl'eg-s adjacent the frontand rear corners of themernber, the front leg adjacent each end of the member being connected at its upper; end by a horizontal cross-portion with the upper end, of the rear leg at the same end of the member to provide adjacent each end of-the member a tubular two-leg structure of inverted U-shape form, a d meansfor rigidly connecting the cross-portions of said leg structures with the brackets.

6. In an understructure' for a desk or similar member, two downwardly extending hollow brackets which are connected at their upper ehds. with the underside of the member adjacent opposite ends of the latter, tubular front and rear legs adjacent the front. and rear corners of the member, the. front leg. adjacent each end of the member being connected, at its upper end by a horizontal. crossportion with the upper end of the rear leg at the. same end of the member to provide adjacent each. end of the membera tubular two-leg structure. of inverted U.-sh ape form, the inner walls of the. hollow. brackets being substantially vertical and being. provided with slots, and the cross-portions. of the. tubular two-leg, structures being secured to. fittings whichv are provided with. horizontally. projecting tongues, said. tongues on the fittings interlocking. within the" slots in the inner walls oi. the brackets, and means for rigidly clampingthe fittings, on the cross-portions of the leg structures. against the inner walls of the brackets.

7. In an understructure for. a desk or similar member, a tube which is positioned; flatwise. against the underside of the member and is provided; adjacent the. ends of. the member with horizontally extending generally parallel. end portions, two. downwardly; extending. hollow bracketsin the upper portions of which. the end portions. of the. tube are housedand secured, said. brackets being connected at their upper ends with the underside of the member, tubular leg structures. adjacent theends of the'mernber, which leg. stiuuctures are provided at their upper ends with horizontally extending portions, which. horizontally extending portions. are parallel toandare ofiset inwardly relative to the endportions of the tube, and means for rigidly clamping the horizontally extending portions oi the leg structures. against the inner walls of the brackets, in two, or more vertically adjusted positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED: STATES PATENTS 

